Rescue
by NightKDuet
Summary: SasuHina. "Is that...what you really want?" Sasuke looked at her dead seriously, "Yes."


**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…**

**Rescue**

She looked up at the darkened sky, feeling nothing but pain and emptiness. She grabbed a handful of dirt where her hand could reach, willing herself not to cry. She didn't have enough strength to get up from where she laid.

'_It's all over…_' She turned her head to the side, looking at the figures sprawled on the ground, noting the crimson red blood soaking the dirt. In trying to defend herself, she ended up killing three nins that attacked during the mission. She looked toward her partner but all that was left over was her cold, dead body. She felt sorry for that girl, who had died instead of her.

There were supposed to deliver the scroll back to Konoha but now it was meaningless. Hinata did not have strength enough to deliver it. '_How silly._' She smiled ironically.

Then she heard the soft thudding of feet walking toward her. She tried to get herself up but failed as her wobbly legs gave out and opted to sit, leaning against the tree behind her, hoping that whoever was coming would not notice her.

Then someone landed right in front of her but she had neither power nor will to attack the person. It took few seconds to register exactly who it was.

"You…" Hinata softly began, looking right at his onyx eyes. "Why are you here?"

He didn't answer but remained in his crouching position. His eyes were hard and guarded, impenetrable to anyone. She did not look away but closed her eyes. They had met several times during the clans meeting and few jointed missions. They especially talked much during the clans' meetings because they were the only ones who got to play together. But all was just a fond memory, faded away by the harsh realities.

Everything was dead silent with nothing but wind and rustles of the leaves audible in the emptiness of the forest. She felt strangely peaceful and calm. Maybe this was what people felt right before succumbing to the inevitable death.

"Hyuuga," Sasuke started, breaking the silence. Hinata did not respond but he knew that she was listening. "Are you afraid of death?" His voice was rough and harsh to her ears.

She opened her eyes slowly, revealing her mysterious white, opaque eyes. But she showed no fear or confusion. Instead, she was resolute and firm in her reply, "No."

She had lived long surrounded by hatred from her family. They didn't need a useless heiress who they deemed too weak. Her father would not acknowledge her although her relationship with Neji had gotten much better. If she died, she would no longer be a hindrance to her clan, who would surely make Hanabi the rightful heiress. She felt no bitterness but the rising guilt of leaving her younger sister to handle all the hard work of the Hyuuga clan.

Then he spoke up, drawing her attention back to the reality. "Why?" Sasuke asked. As soon as the word left his mouth, she remembered Itachi who had massacred the whole Uchiha clan. She wondered briefly how much pain and bitterness that he had gone through.

She also saw her teammates and Kurenai-sensei, who cared for her like her mother. But they had moved on without her. She worried about Kurenai-sensei but knew that she would eventually be fine without her.

"Nobody's waiting for me," Hinata replied, just watching the moon illuminating the dark sky. Death did not seem unfriendly to her this night. In fact, it would put her out of misery and pain. She could feel her life ebbing away but she held onto the last thread of consciousness. She had no idea why he was here telling her all this, or why he continued to ask her questions. "Did you…accomplish everything?"

He took note of the fact that she had lost her stutter. "Orchimaru and Itachi are both dead," Sasuke replied, noting how she continued to stare at the sky without a slight flinch. He looked at all the slashes and hits that Hinata have taken during the battle. His hands started to glow green and he healed minor scratches here and there but he could not heal the major damages that had penetrated deep into her body.

Her lips turned slightly upward in a half-smile. She claims, "They can't be healed but you…can go to Konoha." Talking was becoming more difficult as her breathing became more labored.

His looked up from his healing. His eyes turned angry and stubborn. "I'm not going back there."

She could feel small bits of strength being restored back to her slowly. "But you still have your life to live…and friends."

His anger was gone, as she meant neither sympathy nor pity. "I still have one last goal that I need to accomplish."

"Oh?" Hinata asked, taking effort to raise her head to look at him.

"Uchiha clan," Sasuke simply replied.

Hinata knew what he meant. "Oh." She could feel chakra signatures from faraway and knew that he could, too.

"You were in the middle of the mission," Sasuke claimed, noticing how her expression became troubled. He got up from his position and tried to sense which direction they were coming from. She tried to get up as well, leaning against the tree for support.

"You can leave," Hinata decided, firmly. "I won't tell anyone about this."

"You won't be able to defend yourself," Sasuke stated, looking back at her drooped figure.

"Doesn't matter. Either I die honorably fighting or I fail to keep my promise with Naruto-kun," Hinata claimed, thinking of activating her Byakugan. She turned to him, intending to express her thanks when she felt herself being lifted.

"Wha-?" Hinata gave out a strangled noise in surprise.

"You're not going to die tonight," Sasuke declared, securing her in his arms. He started to run through the thick forest.

"You don't have to save me," Hinata said, holding onto his shirt for support. "I'm only a burden to you right now."

"I came here for a reason," Sasuke claimed, looking at her. He stopped and looked back as if contemplating whether to kill them or keep running.

"D-Don't," Hinata stated, grasping him firmly. "No more today."

Sasuke thought for a brief moment then kept running. "I don't understand. If I don't kill them, they will try to kill you."

"I'm alright…and you're with me," Hinata claimed, thoughtfully. "You can put me down. I'm all rested."

Sasuke looked at her with doubtful expression. Hinata blushed slightly at this and thanked the darkness that he didn't see her embarrassment. Hinata realized that he was caring for her. She thought that this kindness was because of their memory of childhood together.

"You can't walk," Sasuke stated, flatly. Sasuke started running faster. Hinata stayed silent since she knew that he would be stubborn enough not to let her down. She suddenly started coughing, violently shaking in the process. She knew that her heart was weak ever since her battle with Neji. With the attacks she received fighting the three nins, she knew her heart would not hold for much longer.

"I have a favor…to ask," Hinata spoke up, still coughing. After her coughs died down, she said, "The scroll…please…it's important to Konoha."

Sasuke stayed silent for a moment. "I'm not going there but I need to get you to a hospital."

"NO! It's okay. I'll go to Konoha myself," Hinata stated, frantically. "Before I die, I'll complete this mission…my last task."

Sasuke suddenly stopped in his track and put her down in one of the wide tree branch rather roughly. "You are not going to die," Sasuke emphasized each word rather forcefully. Then he added, "And you are not going back there either."

"I'll go back," Hinata said as she got up to leave but was prevented by a hand that pulled her back. She ended up leaning against his chest with her face buried in his neck. She froze when she felt an arm enveloping her in a light hug.

"Hinata," Sasuke said, softly. He hadn't called her that since they last met as children. It was also a different voice than he used before. It had imperceptible softness and gentleness. "If I…ask you to come to the Iwagakure, will you come?"

Hinata understood where he was going with this. "No." She slowly wrapped her arms around him fully, accepting the hug. She questions him back, "If I ask you to come to Konoha…will you come?"

"No," Sasuke firmly replied.

Hinata smiled, sadly. She dropped her arms and let him go. "Exactly."

Then Sasuke brought his other arm around her. "But…if you promise that you will remain with me, I will consider it." Sasuke shifted slightly, unaccustomed to declaring his feelings out loud.

Hinata considered this despite her light-headedness and pain. If she succeeded in bringing him back, many things would change. Naruto and Sakura would be happy that he was back. Then her clan would be happy that her sister would be the heiress. It was many ways advantageous for people around her.

'_What about me?_' Hinata asked herself. She knew that he was putting trust on her to a great extent. She could close off various chakra points right now. She could even stab him with her kunai. But she also knew that she could not kill him. She didn't want to.

"Why me?" She questioned, still keeping her hands to the side. She didn't feel worthy enough to remain by his side. Why would one of the strongest and powerful missing nin be willing to stay with her, the one who was deemed weak by her clan?

She continued to stay still because she was exhausted but stood straight enough so that she didn't have to lean on Sasuke for support.

"Because you need me…as much as I need you," he declared, surely and definitely. She felt comforted knowing that he would be even willing to consider going back to Konoha because of her. She only worried what kinds of treatment that he would be receiving on going back to Konoha.

"Is that…what you really want?" Hinata questioned, drawing back, still within his arms' reach, and looked at him in the eyes.

Sasuke looked dead seriously at her. His eyes seemed to look straight through her, to the very core of her soul. "Yes."

Hinata smiled fully at him. "I'll…try as well." Hinata wrapped her arms around him. Hinata grabbed his hand, rather boldly. "Let's go home."

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